Ishbaneer Schatten
Early Life Ishbaneer was born Isaac Schatten, the eldest son but middle child of a Lordaeronian peasant's family. His father, Christoph, was a footman in the second war while Isaac was but a child, and was re-conscripted to defend Lordaeron when Arthas returned as a Death Knight. His older sister, Janine, had already married and moved out of the home by the Third War, and had born Isaac twin nieces before they were all slain by the Scourge. Of the times of his early years, Ishbaneer looks most fondly on the day he saw his sister and brother in law's children, his nieces, for the first time, and seeing Uther Lightbringer defend and heal the wounded of his village in the initial Scourge assault. Though a simple farmer, he dreamed of being accepted into the Silver Hand's ranks one day. Death As Lordaeron fell to Arthas bit by bit, news of the eradication of the regiment that Christoph Schatten had served in reached his family, who was absolutely distraught. They quickly packed up what they could and left, but were among those slaughtered by the combined efforts of Prince Arthas, Kel'Thuzad, and Sylvanas Windrunner. A day for which Ishbaneer has not forgiven the Lich King or his agents, former and current. Resurrection Isaac woke up in a tomb, confused, cold, afraid, but most of all, incredibly hungry. Without a thought, he dove upon a nearby corpse that hadn't awakened and began feasting upon it, and not until his hunger was sated did he realize what he was doing... or the clawed hands he was doing it with. He looked around him and at himself, convinced that he had been thrown into a terrible nightmare, and collapsed into a corner, trying to curl up against the walls as if he wished to meld into the stone. He wanted to cry himself to sleep and pray he'd wake up normal, but he found soon that he could not cry, nor sleep anymore. The disturbed Forsaken walked up out of the tomb, trembling in mind-numbing terror as he was greeted by a fellow Undead, who explained his situation. After asking around, he'd learned that none had heard or seen from his younger brother, Rob, or his mother, Rebecca. They had either died and been spared, servants of the Scourge, or lost and alone somewhere far from Deathknell. Either way, they were dead, and so was he. In one of his few angsty and bitter moments, Isaac forsook his old name and decided on Ishbaneer, which he reasoned sounded just crazy enough that no one would recognize him in his deformed state. Ishbaneer subsides as a Rogue, falling back on resourcefulness, since he is naive of Azeroth's history, and cunning, since he is not physically strong. True to his old name, which meant "laughter", he's remained an anomaly among the Forsaken by maintaining an optimistic and cheery nature, although he's lost most of his restraints when it comes to his sense of humor. His relationship with the Blood Knight, Aurelia Sunhome, has tamed him some, but he still delights in a crude joke when he thinks it won't hurt anything. Aurelia was the first soul he's told his old name, and the two of them spent much time seeking out ways to be restored from Undeath and magic-addiction, however hopeless it may be, and helping the establishment of peace between Alliance and Horde; their old people and their new allies. Formation of Kiss of the Betrayer Things seemed to be going well as the two engaged to marry, but life became infinitely more complicated very soon after. During a tumultuous affair involving a former lover of Aurelia's, Ishbaneer focused himself on the creation of a safe haven for people who followed the Light in the Horde. She'd convinced him to return to his old faith back when they first fell for each other, and he had little more than the Light itself to lean on when she was unfaithful to him. He'd already begun the work beforehand, but he had a full-fledged church under his command by the time the affair came up. Ishbaneer's relationship remained rocky at best for a while and eventually repaired itself. The church, however, thrived and kept Ishbaneer quite busy. He named it the Kiss of the Betrayer as a cover-name. It would help with the charade of an assassin's guild he'd hoped would avoid suspicion from Sylvanas' authorities, and it fit their situation perfectly: they were viewed as traitors by the Dark Lady and her followers, but all they ever did for Lordaeron was help its people in the Light's name. They were traitors that only sought to do kind and charitable acts. Betraying with a kiss, as he liked to put it. The call to follow the old faith was answered by many, but a tightly-knit group of around 15 was the core of Ishbaneer's followers. The Kiss is now legal in Lordaeron, though their message is still forbidden to be preached in the Dark Lady's lands. They do a small amount of evangelism, but mostly seek to strengthen the faith of current Light followers and to defeat evil where they see it. Ishbaneer and Aurelia married in early may of this year, but she vanished in a shipwreck just 2 months later. Fortunately, she was recovered from the wreckage and the problem solved itself, but the point remains; Ishbaneer, for quite a time, had nothing left in his unlife aside from his close circle of friends from all over the Horde, and the Church that he's worked to create. The Light remained his joy, even when his faith wavered, and perseveres as his main focus today. He fights to see good rewarded and evil punished, as he thinks it should always be. He forewarns all evildoers and agents of the Scourge and Legion that the Light's followers in the Horde are just as devout and zealous as their Alliance brothers and sisters, and will not stop until justice is served, and the Light allowed to shine across all Azeroth and Outland. Category: Horde Category: Forsaken Category: Horde Rogue